"Ge... darn it..."

Forcing recovery magic onto her back, she struggled to stand up, and tightly gripped her staff.

Despite students sprawling all around, Maizen still remained motionless with a relaxed demeanor.

"Hmm, this is quite impressive. I didn't know you could defend against it. Certainly, our first-year newcomers are not ordinary, huh?"

He laughed as if genuinely delighted.

"... I'm very pleased with the idea of absorbing that talent."

Thunk!

As soon as Maizen took a step forward, some students forcibly used their staff and stood up.

Remarkably, even in the midst of all this, they were igniting the determination to resist, knowing that the enemy was still right in front of them.

"Hahaha... Indeed, no matter how young, Stella is Stella, huh?"

As he slowly scanned the students who were rising, Maizen's expression twisted.

"... Kids these days, why are they so earnest about irrelevant matters?"

Edna quickly confirmed Mayuseong's position. His academy uniform was disheveled, but he seemed relatively unharmed.

No, it wasn't just relatively unharmed.

Sparks were gradually emanating from his body, but it wasn't the typical blue and red mixture of magic.

It was pure black.

Mayuseong was attempting to use his inherent ability, [Dark Magic Domination].

However, the condition for that was extremely strict, requiring the complete release of [Dark Magic Form].

It was a formidable task for Mayuseong in his current state.

Moreover, once he revealed his dark magic, he would no longer be able to stay at Stella permanently.

Knowing this, the decision to release it was a testament to the importance of navigating the current situation rather than the trivial academy.

But at that moment, Maizen approached Mayuseong with a bang, forcing him to reluctantly step back and deploy an rock barrier in front.

Bang!

But, Maizen effortlessly pierced through even the Class 3 barrier and charged forward.

Mayuseong desperately used a Hyper Jump to hastily evade, but Maizen immediately pursued him.

"Ugh...!"

Unable to do anything, Mayuseong exploded flames in mid-air, forcefully propelling himself and crashing onto the ground, suffering significant impact.

Boom!

Maizen was about to strike him in that state, but the students, who had regained their composure just in time, launched their magic attacks, preventing him from doing so.

Meanwhile, Mayuseong quickly tried to create distance, but Maizen, even with a hastily deployed shield, intended to chase him relentlessly, even if he had to endure some attacks.

"She noticed something...!"

The [Dark Magic Domination] ability had a morale-boosting trait that could have some impact even on higher-level dark mages.

Maizen knew this from the beginning and forcefully pursued Mayuseong to prevent him from unleashing dark magic.

"You, damn bitch!"

Edna summoned a whip of light to bind Maizen’s body. While his speed slightly decreased, it didn't have a significant effect.

Maizen tore it apart and continued advancing.

Meanwhile, magic struck Maizen.

However…

Even though Mayuseong was receiving Maizen’s attacks... he was still a dark mage with a power level of over Class 5.

Against him, Mayuseong demonstrated various senses to block or evade his attacks and even counterattack according to opportunity.

Rocks erupted, lightning struck, and walls of fire obstructed Maizen’s vision.

In other words, Mayuseong was excellently 'tanking' against Maizen.

He was more impressive than they thought. Even though he was Mayuseong, the fact that he could withstand a Class 5 dark mage without unleashing all his power was quite remarkable.

Although Mayuseong couldn't unleash his abilities, considering the situation alone, it wasn't bad.

Mayuseong was fulfilling his role as a knight.

As Maizen faced off against Mayuseong to restrain his abilities, the students cast the most powerful magic they could individually unleash.

In the tense situation, they couldn't be used, but thanks to Mayuseong's excellent tanking, the casting was quickly completed.

Boom! Thud!!

At that moment when various elemental magic poured down... quietly, in a corner, Eisel finished chanting her spell.

"Crystal Flower.”

It was her ultimate magic skill developed through collaboration with Baek Yu-Seol, showing effects equivalent to or greater than a Class 4 magic in an instant.

However, it was a magic she wouldn't use unless in an unavoidable situation, and she would inevitably be exhausted after using it... and now, this was that 'unavoidable situation'.

Crackle!!

Giant ice flowers bloomed, and they immediately shattered into tiny petals, piercing through Maizen’s body.

Those ice bullets could penetrate even steel, freezing deep into the bones.

And then…

"... Devour them."

Suddenly, a massive wave of flames engulfed the world.

It was a magic Hong Bi-Yeon developed after witnessing Eisel’s magic during the Simulation battle against the demons as she pushed herself to the limit through training.

"Wave of Flames."

That immense wave of flames targeted only the designated targets, without burning anything else in nature.

Rumble!

With a thunderous roar that could be compared to an explosion, Maizen’s screams echoed.

Without stopping there, Edna also unleashed the most powerful magic she could muster.

"Oh darkness, dissolve away."

A golden gate appeared in the air and spun around.

Creak!

The gate opened.

Beams of light poured out.

At first glance, it seemed like ordinary lighting with no apparent effect, but it was a white purification magic that had a devastating effect on dark magic.

Fireworks exploded, ice shattered, and pillars of light shot up.

The genius girls who would be remembered in history created the greatest magic and beautiful works of art by burning all their mana. At that moment, they had become selfless, and didn’t care about their own well-being.

If those magics harmonized, they could undoubtedly deliver a meaningful blow to Maizen Tyren…

… Crash!!

"Huh?"

Creak!

Edna felt a sensation as if her heart had momentarily stopped. She clutched her chest and knelt on the ground, coughing up blood.

"Ugh, cough...!"

All the mana within her body evaporated.

Magic Revival, a phenomenon that occurred when magic was forcibly dispelled or canceled, causing all mana in the body to evaporate.

Tears streamed down her face from the pain she had never felt before.

"Cough, ugh..."

She wasn't the only one.

Hong Bi-Yeon, Eiswl, and other students also experienced the same thing. Their magic canceled, and they collapsed to the ground, unable to even think about moving.

Some vomited blood and fainted, appearing to be unable to resume the battle any longer.

"Zen… jang..."

Struggling to regain her fading consciousness, Edna gritted her teeth and managed to stand up with trembling legs.

Dizziness.

The world shook, and her body pleaded to fall into sleep, wanting to escape the continuous ordeal, but she couldn't afford to.

If she fell asleep here, she would forever lose everything.

Even her life and the future of this world.

"I can't… I can't possibly..."

Exhausted, Edna gripped her staff and lifted her head.

Soon, her eyes were filled with despair.

Swish...!!

From Maizen’s fingertips, a magic circle emerged and began spinning.

It was the dark flame that all the students had barely managed to stop by pooling their strength.

"Haha... Truly impressive. To possess this level of magic at such a young age, the top 10 geniuses..."

Maizen chuckled and then hardened his expression, clutching the flame.

"... I really can't help but want to take it away from you."

The dark flame had grown much larger than before.

Estimated level: Class 6.

Even if everyone was at their peak condition, they couldn't possibly stop it...

The sky turned dark, as if reflecting their future.

Edna desperately tried to draw out her mana to emit light attack, but she couldn't feel anything inside her anymore.

"Damn it..."

Edna suddenly looked around.

Mayuseong, huddled in a corner, struggled to stand up.

Just like Edna, he was supporting his weak body with the staff.

Eisel and Hong Bi-Yeon also supported themselves on their staff, and forced themselves to rise.

And the other students were unconscious, and didn’t even have the ability to twitch.

… They would all die.

The ones who were meant to change the future of the world.

All would die there.

It was despairing and lamentable.

But if this was fate, there was nothing they could do.

Edna blankly gazed at Maizen’s approaching dark flame.

[... The special function of the item 'Marikan's Pendant' is activated.]

[Marikan Shield]

[Once, it will unconditionally defend against magic of Class 6 or lower.]

Immediately after, in front of her, a massive, round shield with intricate machinery-like circuits unfolded.

… Boom!!

The dark flame completely vanished.

"Ah..."

In that fleeting moment, Edna could see it.

Smaller and more petite than the boys of his age, but... she felt that his presence was solid and broad, more than anyone else.

The profile of a certain boy.

"He's damn late..."

With that, Edna closed her eyes.

she appeared relieved… and there was even a smile on her face.